The Edge of Seventeen: Michael Conforto

[Edgy MD]

I sophomore-slumped last year, and while I'm cahnfident I can get my career back on track, I don't have a job anymore, and that hurts my cahnfidence. It's a chicken-and-egg type o' thing.

A job could open up tomorrow, and I could seize it like I own it, or I could be on a one-way ticked to Davis Junction. Vail Valley. Those towns filled with batters who debut strong, but lose their way. What's going to become of me?

[fimg=348:3i7pz6mb]http://www.reviewjournal.com/sites/default/files/field/media/web1_conforto1_6872987.jpg[/fimg:3i7pz6mb] [fimg=352:3i7pz6mb]http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/3/files/2016/12/9302190-michael-conforto-mlb-milwaukee-brewers-new-york-mets-850x560.jpg[/fimg:3i7pz6mb]
[fimg=365:3i7pz6mb]http://www.highlighthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Untitled-8.png[/fimg:3i7pz6mb] [fimg=335:3i7pz6mb]http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2622328.1462235594!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/article_750/521908774.jpg[/fimg:3i7pz6mb]

[MFS62]

Brought up mid year from AAA, and hits 296-10-46 playing mostly right field and some center field. Proves he can hit lefthanders since there is no healthy right handed hitter with whom to regularly platoon .(Legares is injured)

Later

[Ceetar]

This guy's a tough one.

400 PA with 50 against lefties.

.255/.335/.440 overall. respectable but not great.

has 6 walks and 9 hits against the lefties, two doubles. Just enough to still leave the decision murky.

Is a regular down the stretch, into the playoffs. Very hidden against lefties in the playoffs but manages 3 HR ,and a good stat line, 1 as the go-ahead and ultimately winning run in the 7th when A.J. Hinch for some reason doesn't go to Tony Sipp with him leading off the inning. (Later he'll say he wanted to save him for Duda and Granderson in the 8th)

[Edgy MD]

Know what's worth remembering on a cold winter night? That .422 /.483 / .727 // 1.209 line he put up in AAA.

Yeah, it was AAA, and the PCL in AAA, and Vegas in the PCL in AAA, but that was over a 144 plate appearances. That's certainly not nothing.

[Frayed Knot]

Or you can flash back to the nearly-as-good .365/.442/.676 // 1118 he put up in the majors last April.
Yeah it was in about half as many ABs (74) but it wasn't AAA and it wasn't in Vegas.

[Edgy MD]

So, he was a king supreme for half the season, and a chump for the other half.

What we have here is a genuine enigma.

[ashie62]

A mystery wrapped in a riddle.

[Guest d'Kong76]

I'm so conforflicted by this guy, see big things, but they may have
to wait until 2018 while he muddles through another season. He's still
pretty young despite seeming to be around awhile now already?

Sorry, the crystal has gone dark on this one...

[Lefty Specialist]

Depends on things outside of his control, which is why he's hard to predict.

Bruce gets traded in the spring, he has a full year. Bruce gets traded in July, he gets half a year. Somebody gets injured, he's on speed dial in Vegas. Can't even hazard a guess at his numbers, although his start has to be putting some pressure on Sandy to make a move.

Just don't see him in the majors without somebody else leaving because you're not going to bring him up to rot on the bench, and you're not going to pay Jay Bruce $13 million to do Sudoku in the dugout for seven innings until he pinch-hits.

[Benjamin Grimm]

NJ.com reports that the Mets almost traded Conforto to Detroit for one-year rental J.D. Martinez this offseason:

MLB trade rumors: Mets nearly dealt Michael Conforto for Tigers star

(Their source is Jon Heyman.)

[seawolf17]

.260/.310/.400 in 372 AB as a fourth OF. Hits a long home run against dangerously overeducated Marlins starter on opening weekend, but then goes into a two-week slump. Terry stays with him, though.

[dinosaur jesus]

On Michael Conforto's birthday, I'd just like to note that among major leaguers born on March 1, he's the all-time leader in OPS, edging out stars such as Paul Hines, Johnny Ray, and Ramon Castro. Don't rest on your laurels, Michael.

[ashie62]

Part of a platoon at 1B.

[Edgy MD]

Assuming that Freeman will sadly soon be failing to qualify, Michael Conforto suddenly finds himself just .002 off of the league's OPS lead.

1) Freeman (ATL): 1.209
2) Harper (WSH): 1.140
3) Zimmerman (WSH): 1.139
4) Conforto (NYM): 1.138
5) Thames (MIL): 1.099
6) Goldschmidt (ARI): 1.028
7) Votto (CIN): 1.022
8) Posey (SF): 1.008
9) Kemp (ATL): .992
10) Cozart (CIN): .992

[ashie62]

Amazin. Gives me joy.

[seawolf17]

seawolf17 wrote: Hits a long home run against dangerously overeducated Marlins starter on opening weekend, but then goes into a two-week slump. Terry stays with him, though.

Well, I got the home-run-on-opening-weekend part mostly right, anyway.